Improvement in fountain-pens



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NEVELL PRINCE, OF NEI-V GLOUCESTER, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOUNTAIN-PENS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 8,399, dated September 80, 185i.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, NEWELL A. PRINCE, ot' New Gloucester, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful or Improved Self-Supplying or Fountain Pen; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and accompanying drawings, letters, figures, and references thereof.

Figure l of the said drawings represents a side elevation of my improved pen; Fig. 2, a central and longitudinal section of it.- Fig. 3 is a cross-section of it, taken through the spring and its elastic cover, to be hereinafter described. Fig. 4 is a side view of the spring and metallic tube, to which it is applied, as it appears when divested of the elastic cover.

In the said drawings, A represents a tube about five inches in length and made of silver or some other proper iniiexible material. It has a suitable socket made upon or near one end ot' it for the reception and holding of a common metallic writing-pen It', such socket being seen at a. A portion b of the tube extends down toward the point of the pen and a short distance from the socket a, and is provided with a fine or very small hole c, made through its external end. Above the socket and where the pen tube or handle A would be grasped by or between the fingers in the act of writing the said tubular handle A has a long slot d made through it, to which a lnetallic spring e is applied,as seen in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, one or both ends of the spring being secured to the tube A. The spring should be made of a width somewhat less than that of the slots, in order that when pressure is produced on the middle of the spring, so as to torce it inward or toward the axis of the tube A, such spring may readily enter the slot. An elastic or iexible tube or cover f, made of gum-elastic or some other proper material, is placed over and around, or is made to inclose the spring and tube and be confined to the tube at its two ends by being firmly bound to the tube by a band of thread or by being cemented or confined in any other proper manner, it being understood that such cover is to be so made and applied to the tubular handle A as not only to prevent any liquid from escaping` outward through the slot and getting upon the external surface of the handie, but so as to prevent passage of air through the slot. The elastic spring is to be so arranged that the thumb of the person who may write with the pen is to rest in contact with t-he external surface of that part of the cover f which lies directly upon it, and thus to enable the writer by pressure of his thumb to force the spring inward.

The tubular handle A is made hollow and ot sufiicient capacity to contain a considerable quantity of ink, or, in other words, it is to be a reservoir of ink; but in order to enableit to contain a very large or extra quanO tity of ink I make part ot the tube of metal and another part, as seen at g, of india-rubber or some other proper exible material, and ot' a length sufiicient to extend upward and be fastened by suitable straps or attachments 71, h to the arm of the writer and in such manner as to admit of the free and necessary movements ot the pen and inflexible part of the handle. The upper end of the tube should be provided with a screw-cap t' or some other suitable contrivance for either opening or closing it, and this for the purpose of lling the tube with ink whenever necessary. The cap should be fitted air-tight.

The pen or writing apparatus being made in the above-described manner, it will'be seen that when the tubular handle is supplied with ink or writing-duid a very slight pressure on the elastic spring, or that part of the elastic cover directly over or upon it, -will cause that spring to move inward in such manner as to diminish the capacity of the tube and cause a corresponding iiowage or discharge of ink out of the orifice c and upon the inner surface of the pen lo. As the liquid immediately after its discharge iiows downward toward the point of the pen, a bubble of air will pass into the orifice the moment the above-mentionedextra pressure of the thumb is taken off the spring or the flexible cover, and will supply the place ot the ink previously discharged. Another lille pressure of the thumb will effect similar consequences, until the wholetainount of ink in the tubular handle has been consumed.

Instead of but one spring and its slot, as described, the tubular handle may be provided with a second spring and slot placed on the opposite side of it and where the forefinger ot the writers hand could naturally and Conveniently aet against it, while the handle was pinched between the said finger and the thumb of the Writer. This, however, is but a duplication of apart of my invention and a mere matter of form or construetion. l

I would remark that the spring may be dis- Theimprovement of the hollow 'flexible and long extension of the reservoir or tube, as seen at g, to extend up and be secured to the arm of the writer, substantially in manner and for the purpose as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my signature this 13th day ol' February, A. I).

pensed with and the slot and exible cover 1851.

used alone, the object of the spring being' to l insure the reaction of the ilexible cover, or its return to its original position directly after each pressure of the thumb on it, as stated.

IVhat I claim as my invention is- NPDVELL A. PRINCE.

Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, CALDE EDDY. 

